Field
The present invention relates to a medical or dental instrument, preferably a handpiece with a temperature-measuring device for measuring the temperature of the instrument or of a part of the instrument.
Description of Prior Art
Such a handpiece is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,897 B2 for example. The handpiece is provided with a releasable cap or with a dye or lacquer containing a temperature-sensitive or thermochromic dye indicating a temperature change by changing colors.
The disadvantage of this handpiece is that, among other things, the thermochromic dye reflects the change in temperature only inaccurately and with a time lag, and the temperature is measured and displayed exclusively on the components of the handpiece, where the thermochromic dye has been applied.
U.S. Patent Application 2009/0322541 A1 discloses a handpiece, in which the head housing is provided with a skeleton-shaped or rib-shaped girdle having a central band and lateral detection bands protruding away from it, with the temperature sensors, among other things, being provided on these bands. The lateral detection bands transmit the heat released by the different heat sources to the temperature sensors by means of thermal conduction.
The disadvantage of this handpiece consists among other things again of the delayed and imprecise temperature measurement because of the thermal conduction via the detection bands and the fact that the temperature measurement is limited to certain regions or components of the handpiece due to the arrangement of the detection bands.